They

They

Year: 2002

Runtime: 89 min

Language: English

Director: Robert Harmon

Budget: $17M

ThrillerHorror

A teenager grapples with a profound personal journey, facing a difficult decision about embracing their true identity versus conforming to societal pressures. This gripping thriller explores themes of gender fluidity and the challenges of self-discovery, as fear and uncertainty disrupt a life undergoing significant change. The story delves into the complexities of navigating identity and belonging in a world that often demands conformity.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – They (2002)

Trace every key event in They (2002) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Billy is abducted from his closet during a nightmare

In 1983, Billy Parks wakes from a nightmare and cannot sleep. His mother Mary tells him the closet monster is imaginary. A dark apparition emerges from the closet and pulls him into darkness, spirit him away. The event hints at a supernatural threat tied to the darkness.

1983, night Billy's bedroom
2

Diner confession and Billy's suicide

In 2002, Julia Lund, a psychology grad student, reunites with Billy, now grown. He tells her their night terrors are caused by something otherworldly and mentions his childhood kidnapping and two missing days. After warning her to stay out of the dark, he shoots himself. This tragedy sets Julia on a dangerous course to uncover the truth behind their fears.

2002 Diner
3

Julia grieves at Paul's apartment

Julia stays at her boyfriend Paul's apartment to grieve Billy's death. That night, she experiences unsettling signs and feels a creeping energy in the bathroom. Paul notes she is overwhelmed and suggests she might be sleep-deprived after the loss. The mounting unease foreshadows that their night terrors may be real and interconnected with dark forces.

2002, night Paul's apartment
4

Dark fluid and mirror to another dimension

Julia investigates a running shower and discovers a black fluid erupting from the sink drain. The bathroom mirror opens into an alternate dimension filled with mysterious creatures. Paul hears her screams and finds her alone, unable to help. The event confirms the supernatural depth of their shared night terrors.

2002, night Paul's apartment bathroom
5

Paul doubts Julia's memory

Paul suspects she is sleepwalking and cannot explain what happened. He tries to keep things normal as Julia struggles with fragmented, conflicting memories. Her fear intensifies as events bleed into reality and friends begin to believe her warnings. The disbelief isolates Julia further and deepens the mystery.

2002, night Paul's apartment
6

Funeral and new believers in Billy's tale

At Billy's funeral, Julia meets two of his friends and roommates, Terry and Sam. Both had childhood night terrors and are now starting to believe Billy's claims about the danger. They share their experiences and begin to connect the pieces of the mystery. The trio agrees to investigate together.

2002 Funeral
7

Billy's childhood room and the batteries

Julia visits Billy's childhood room and discovers a drawer full of batteries. The discovery hints at patterns or experiments related to their night terrors. It deepens the mystery surrounding the creatures and their reach. It also foreshadows the importance of light in warding off the darkness.

2002 Billy's childhood room
8

Creature on the road; car stalls

While driving, a creature sprints across Julia's windshield, startling her and causing a near accident. The SUV's engine stalls, and she struggles to restart it. A vision of Billy appears, and she narrowly avoids a truck. The encounter confirms the threat follows her and is linked to darkness.

2002, night Highway road
9

Diary study; backstories of Terry and Sam

Terry and Sam join Julia at their apartment to study Billy's diary. Terry explains how her own night terrors began after witnessing her sister drown. She recounts dramatic episodes, including stabbing her father in the eye with a kitchen knife because she believed he was a demon. The group learns that the dark creatures are interconnected with their childhood traumas.

2002 Terry and Sam's apartment
10

Sarah and the mark; they will eat you in nightmares

Julia meets a girl named Sarah, a patient of Dr. Booth, who warns that 'They' will eat you in nightmares. Sarah notices a strange mark appearing on Billy's hand, Sam's shoulder, Terry's ankle, and now Julia's forehead. The mark suggests a shared curse and a method to summon or repel the creatures. Julia studies the mark and steels herself for what's to come.

2002 Clinic
11

Terry and Sam abducted by the creatures

The creatures finally abduct Terry and Sam, removing two of Julia's allies. Julia's fear grows as the danger becomes personal and immediate. The loss increases the urgency to understand the mark and the power of light against the darkness. The group continues to search for means to protect themselves.

2002 Terry and Sam's apartment
12

Mark on Julia's forehead and the needle

Julia discovers the mark on her forehead and removes a long black needle from her skin. She goes to Paul for help, who reacts with disbelief and drugs her with a sleeping pill. He then calls Dr. Booth, further isolating Julia and escalating her sense of danger. This marks a turning point toward institutionalization.

2002 Paul's apartment
13

Subway ascent and tunnel chase

Julia runs to the subway and becomes trapped in the station. She boards a train home as the only passenger. The lights flicker and the train stops, and she steps off to see bulbs bursting in the tunnel as the creatures attack. She fights the beings with shards of glass, demonstrating her will to survive.

2002 Subway station and tunnel
14

Mental institution and closet dimension

Julia is committed to Dr. Booth's mental institution, where she is attacked and pulled into the dimension she saw earlier inside a closet. No one can hear or see her scream for help as Dr. Booth and an orderly ignore her pleas. Dr. Booth closes the door, and the creatures haul Julia away, ending with her trapped in the nightmare.

2002, ending Dr. Booth's mental institution

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:58

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They Summary

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They Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in They

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